Feanklin l



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VFRANKLIN L. HICKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN LAWRENCE AND PHINEAS LAWRENCE, OE SAME PLACE.

INKSTAND.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,794, dated January 3, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANKLIN L. HICKs, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Inkstands; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved inkstand, and Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the same.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts. Y

Inkstands have heretofore been made of india-rubber with an elastic bottom acted upon by a lever, to raise the said bottom land cause the ink to How up into a cup.

The nature of my said invention consists in au inkstand with an elastic bottom secured to the body of the inkstand by a ring, which forms a base to said inkstand and receives a turning rod with -a cam, by means of which the said elastic bottom can be forced up more or less to cause the ink to rise to the desired height in the cup.

In the drawings, a is the body of the inkstand, made of glass or other suitable material, but without any bottom. The lower edges at 1 1, however, should be slightly flaring.

b is a ring of metal of a size to set loosely around the lower part of the body af, space being left for the edges of the elastic diaphragm c, that forms a bottom to the inkstand, and is confined tightly to said body a by pressing the ring b over the edges of said diaphragm, and confining said edges to the part 1 l of the inkstand.

d is a wire or rod running across the inside of the ring b, and provided with a turning head or button, e, and with a cam-shaped projection,f, beneath the middle portion of the inkstand.

q is the ink-cup, fitting air-tight an opening in the top of the stand, and having a flexible or other pipe extending to near the bottom of the ink in the inkstand.

It will now be understood that by turning the rod and cam f the elastic bottom will be forced up, and, the stand being air-tight, the ink will be forced up into the cup g, and rise therein a greater or less amount, according 'to the point to which the diaphragm c is raised by the cam f.

The elastic diaphragm should be strengthened at the part where the cam j' acts by an additional disk of india-rubber; or a small metal plate or disk might be attached to the diaphragm to prevent its being injured by the earn.

What'I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

'Ihe combination of the elastic bottom `of the inkstand with the turning rod and cam, for the purposes and as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 14th day of October, 1864.

' FRANKLIN L. HICKS.

Witnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, CHAs. H. SMITH. 

